PLEASE don’t take it personally – but I am, it seems, about to insult your dignity, not to mention your intelligence. Here’s why.

You will doubtless have seen the latest immigration figures, which show that in the year to March 2017, 127,000 EU nationals moved to the UK – compared to 178,000 for the same period the year before.

In other words, there has been a fall of 51,000 in the number of EU citizens moving to Britain.

Because more people also left the UK than ever before, the overall figure for net migration fell to 246,000 – the lowest level in three years.

You might well think the fact that we increased our population by the equivalent of a city the size of Southampton would be something worthy of comment.

And it has indeed been widely commented on since the figures were published on Thursday.

But not, as you might expect, because there is consensus among commentators that such a level of migration remains unsustainable – even if it is a smaller increase than we have been used to in recent years. Oh no.

According to one columnist, any suggestion that there might be an issue with such levels of immigration and that we need to control it in some way, “is not simply to promote economic quackery, but to insult human dignity”.

Related articles

So my apologies but I am now going to insult your dignity – unashamedly.

It’s just a statement that we cannot carry on having in effect to build a city the size of Southampton every year, simply to cater for those who choose to come and live in the UK.

Which is why we should not overreact too positively to this week’s figures.

Immigration minister Brandon Lewis probably had it right when he said that he is “encouraged” by the fall but that “there is still more work to do to bring net migration down further to sustainable levels”.

Yes, the figures show a serious reduction from the peak net migration figures of over 330,000 people a year during 2015 and the first half of 2016.

GETTY

Brandon Lewis said he is 'encouraged' by the fall

Because no matter how often the advocates of uncontrolled immigration say otherwise and how sneering they may be when they dismiss any opposing view, uncontrolled immigration at the levels to which we have become used is unsustainable.

This is not a criticism of immigrants. It is not an attack on their dignity.

In many ways those who come here are thoroughly admirable, simply taking advantage of an opportunity to better their lot.

It’s not even a judgment on the merits or otherwise of a relatively flexible immigration policy.

But the trend in recent years has been very much towards high and increasing immigration and one should be wary of reading too much into just one period.

And the level of immigration remains unsustainable.

Remainers have used the latest figures to label the departure of 89,000 EU citizens – 33,000 more than a year ago – along with the 134,000 Brits who left the UK at the same time, as a “Brexodus”.

Brexit transition phase: Cabinet splits three ways

Who is pushing for the most gradual departure possible from the EU? And who favours a cleaner break?

They have been the backbone of the immigration explosion that took off after 2004 when new EU members gained free movement.

The new figures show a fall to 32,000 in the number of new entrants to the UK from the EU8 – and to 18,000 from Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU in 2014.

The latest figures also show that overall, 44,000 EU nationals went home for no other reason than to go home; they did not have jobs to take up.

As Nicola White of the Office for National Statistics, which compiled the figures, put it: “They indicate that the EU referendum result may be influencing people’s decision to migrate into and out of the UK, particularly EU and EU8 citizens.”

You hardly need me to tell you that one of the drivers behind last year’s decision by 17.4 million in favour of Brexit – the highest number of people to vote for any cause in British history – was the desire to take back control of immigration.

GETTY - STOCK IMAGE

Brexit is just 19 months away

These latest figures show that we are still a long way from that, not least because we haven’t yet left the EU.

For the moment, any impact of Brexit is entirely speculative.

But it is vital that when we do leave in March 2019, a new system that gives us control of our borders is clear and ready to implement.

Yes, there may be the need for a transition period to ensure its smooth running.

But that must be genuine – and not an excuse to derail taking control back.

Brexit is just 19 months away.

Even on the current reduced level of immigration, another city the size of Southampton will have arrived by then – and then some.

Time is of the essence and the Government must bring forward a detailed proposal for a new immigration system as a matter of urgency.